One of Australia’s leading photography events, Head On will once again bring exceptional photography from Australia and around the world to galleries and public spaces across Sydney, with a program spanning exhibitions, talks and events and featuring leading international, Australian and emerging photographic voices.
A two-decade photographic legacy
The story of Head On began in 2004 when founder and creative director Moshe Rosenzveig OAM launched the inaugural Head On Portrait Award. Frustrated by mainstream art prizes that often favoured celebrity subjects or established names, Rosenzveig introduced a strict blind–judging process where works are selected purely on visual merit, composition, and storytelling rather than artist reputation.
What started as a single portrait competition quickly captured the imagination of the artistic community. By 2010, the initiative expanded into the full–scale Head On Photo Festival. Now marking over two decades of operation, the festival has grown to become Australia’s premier photography event and a major fixture on the international arts calendar.
Taking Australian Photography to the World
While Sydney remains its home, Head On Foundation’s reach extends far beyond harbour city shores. The organisation has actively used its platform to tour curated exhibitions globally, taking diverse photographic perspectives to audiences across North America, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand.
Head On exhibitions have featured in major global arts hubs and partner events, including Photoville in New York, the Auckland Photo Festival, the Indian Photography Festival, and the International Photo Festival Leiden. These international tours showcase both Australian talent on world stages and bring global visual narratives back home, fostering crucial cross–cultural exchanges.
What to Expect in 2026
This November, the festival returns to transform Sydney into an expansive, open–air canvas alongside vibrant gallery showcases.
A few festival highlights:
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6–29 November 2026, across Sydney
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One of Australia’s leading photography festivals, reaching nearly half a million people each November
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A city–wide program of indoor and outdoor exhibitions, talks, and events
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Photography from established and emerging Australian and international artists
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The Festival also incorporates the Head On Photo Awards, with 110 finalists exhibited as part of the 2026 event
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The full 2026 program will be announced closer to November
From iconic outdoor installations along the Bondi Beach promenade and Paddington Reservoir Gardens to intimate gallery spaces, the 2026 festival promises an unmissable month of visual culture. The full line–up will be unveiled later this year.
You can find out more on the Head On website.
